Shopping Tips for Indoor vs. Outdoor Wedding Dresses
Knowing if you’ll be having an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony can be a huge help in narrowing your options as you shop for your dream bridal gown. Knowing the exact venue is even better, but even if a lot of those plans are still up in the air, it can be helpful to consider the way different dress styles and fabrics can go a long way to keeping you comfortable in different settings. When it comes to choosing the right indoor or outdoor wedding dress, it’s all about finding a gown that suits the season and the environment you’ll be wearing it in. But first, let’s dive into some general bridal dress shopping tips.
General Wedding Dress Shopping Tips
Let’s start by exploring some things you’ll want to keep in mind for any season or venue, then you can keep those ideas in mind as we explore more specific seasons and bridal settings! Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for indoor or outdoor wedding dresses:
- Choose the Right Fabric: There are lightweight fabrics, medium fabrics, and heavyweight fabrics, and they’ll all affect how easy or difficult it is to keep your body cool or warm. Bridal fabrics can be super delicate or structured and sturdy. You’ll want to choose the type that is best for you. To learn more about some of the most common bridal fabrics, check out Avery Austin’s blog about the different types of wedding dress fabrics.
- Consider Layers: Just because you’re having a wedding in winter doesn’t mean you can’t wear that strapless style you love! On the other hand, just because you’ve chosen a lightweight sleeveless gown to keep cool in the summer doesn’t mean you won’t feel chilly in the shade or air-conditioned locations. Some layers to consider are removable, like a cloak or shawl. Other layers to keep in mind are the number and types of fabric used in the skirt or lining of the bodice. Planning for more or fewer layers can make a world of difference, especially if you’ll be both inside and outside on your wedding day.
- Plan Accessories Carefully: There are general guidelines to follow with accessories, like making sure your jewelry won’t snag on a lace dress. But when it comes to choosing an indoor or outdoor wedding dress, you also want to keep in mind how comfortable or practical your chosen accessories will be. Will those stiletto heels keep getting snagged in the dirt during your outdoor ceremony? Will that gorgeous matching veil even stay on your head at a windy seaside venue? Plan ahead to make sure your accessories will work out well given the weather and location, or prepare to swap them as needed on your big day.
- Remember Your Train: If you fall for a wedding dress with a train, that does not mean that it can only be an indoor style. Bustling is an easy way to scoop that train up safely in the midst of poor weather or many trampling feet, and there are so many stunning ways to bustle a bridal gown! Just check out Avery Austin’s wedding dress bustle guide to explore your options. Whether you’re looking for an indoor or outdoor wedding dress, you can easily prepare for a style with or without a train, so just remember to be prepared either way! If you want to explore your options, head on over to Avery Austin’s long train wedding dress collection or no-train wedding dress collection.
With these tips in mind, let’s take a look at how to choose an indoor or outdoor wedding dress by season.
Choosing an Indoor or Outdoor Wedding Dress by Season
Maybe you don’t have an exact date yet, but if you have a general idea of the season (fall, winter, spring, summer) for your nuptials, then that’s a great place to start. What do you know about your chosen season where your wedding will be? Lots of sun? High chance of storms? Always windy? If you’re not sure, try talking to locals or representatives at your chosen venue to gather some information on what you can expect weather-wise for that time of the year. Then consider the following when it comes to wedding dress shopping for…
Indoor Weddings
- If you’re staying at your venue and will be inside the same building for the entire event, then you can focus on searching for an indoor wedding dress that suits the climate of the building. Prepare for heating or air conditioning by choosing styles with a fabric or features that will keep you comfortable.
- If you’ll be traveling to your venue (and perhaps between the ceremony and reception venues), will the temperature vary between the outside and inside of these locations? For example, it might be a hot summery day outside but cold and air-conditioned on the inside. Will it be the rainy season? If so, you’ll need to plan for a wedding dress style that can be easily protected from the rain as you travel.
Outdoor Weddings
- Prepare for the seasonal temperatures by choosing a lightweight fabric to keep you cool or a heavyweight fabric to keep you warm. Depending on the temperature, you can plan for more layers or fewer layers (bonus if some of the layers are removable so you can adjust for your comfort as needed).
- Prepare for the weather by choosing an outdoor wedding dress that will hold up well and comfortably for what’s typical at that time of year. For example, if you’re expecting a lot of rain, you might go for a style with a bridal petticoat that lifts the hem off the ground or a short bridal gown in a durable fabric so you can easily keep your hemline off the wet ground and worry less about water stains. Windy climates call for outdoor wedding dresses with sturdier fabric and features that won’t be easily blown away or torn.
For more tips on shopping for wedding dresses by season, be sure to check out these Avery Austin blogs: Summer Wedding Dress Ideas that Keep You Cool and Winter Wedding Dress Inspiration: How to Keep Warm
Choosing an Indoor or Outdoor Wedding Dress by Venue Setting
Will you be celebrating in an elaborate, fancy ballroom or by the seaside? Matching your indoor or outdoor wedding dress to your venue setting can really tie everything together (and keep you comfortable too). Here are a few things to consider when choosing a wedding dress for…
Indoor Weddings
- Formal Settings: Whether you’ll be in a ballroom, an upscale hotel, or another fancy location, your indoor wedding dress should match the tone of the surrounding decor to pull together your bridal theme. Including ball gown wedding dresses and other bridal gowns with lavish embellishments or fabrics, these gorgeous designs will fit right in. Explore some stunning options in Avery Austin’s ball gown wedding dress collection and romantic wedding dress collection.
- Informal Settings: Maybe you’ve made arrangements to get married at a friend or family member’s home or a local community spot and you want your indoor wedding dress to be chill and comfortable to suit your surroundings. Consider short wedding dresses, simple gowns, or even rustic lace styles paired with your favorite pair of cowgirl boots! Check out Avery Austin’s collection of simple wedding dresses and rustic wedding dresses for designs you’re sure to love.
- Other Considerations: Is your location all on one floor, or will you be moving around a lot within your chosen venue. Imagine having to climb lots of stairs in the building you’re holding your ceremony or reception. You’d want an indoor wedding dress that’s not too heavy or easy to trip over! Will you be traveling between indoor locations for your ceremony, reception, and photo session? You’ll want to make sure your indoor wedding dress is wrinkle-resistant and comfortable for moving through whatever weather is in store for you outside! For tips on safely transporting your wedding dress, check out Avery Austin’s blog on traveling with a wedding dress.
Outdoor Weddings
- Sandy Locales: You’ll need the perfect outdoor beach wedding dress if you know you’ll be moving around a lot in the sand! From deciding how much of your gown you want touching the sand to considering how to protect yourself from the sun or sandy breezes, you’ll want to choose a style that fits both you and the oceanside location. Explore Avery Austin’s beach wedding dresses for some inspiration!
- Grassy Locales: Just like with sandy venues, you’ll want to consider how your hemline or train will do across a grassy surface. Grass stains are a very real concern! Choosing an outdoor wedding dress that’s short or hemmed up to ankle length can come in handy for this type of setting.
- Gardens: Again, a higher hemline can make a world of difference as you are walking around a beautiful garden setting. You’ll also want to keep in mind that if you’re walking close to plants, gates, or fences, you may want to avoid outdoor wedding dresses made from lace or other snaggable fabrics.
Choosing Both an Indoor and Outdoor Wedding Dress
Many brides choose to have their ceremonies and receptions at different locations, so it’s not uncommon to have one venue inside and the other outside. Perhaps you’re planning a church wedding followed by a garden reception or a ceremony on the grassy lawn of a manor house followed by a reception inside the manor. While you can certainly try to find a bridal gown that will suit both settings, you also have the option of wearing an indoor wedding dress for one part and an outdoor wedding dress for the other. This makes it a cinch to match up each style to the season and setting for the ceremony and reception, and it provides an extra wow-factor to your guests when they see your wardrobe change!
Ready to start shopping for your outdoor or indoor wedding dress? Keeping all of this advice in mind, head on over to Avery Austin’s bridal gown collection to find a style that’s the perfect fit for both you, your venue, and your wedding season. Whether you’re dreaming of the perfect garden wedding dress, a sexy modern bridal gown for a rooftop celebration, or an elegant ball gown wedding dress fit for a winter princess, you’re sure to find these styles and more!